Mapping Out Your Topic
Before you start researching or writing, start by recording what you know and what you need to know. This will save you time in the long run!
Follow These Steps
- Start with what you know. Use a Topic Map to chart out key players, issues, terms, and more.
- Use keywords from your Topic Map as search terms to find academic encyclopedia (reference) articles on your topic. Use reference articles to build an understanding of your topic: who is involved, what are the issues, why is this happening, (when) historical context, where is this happening, and how is it being addressed?
Review the image of the chart below, and use the attached link at the bottom to download a copy of this brainstorming table that you can use.
(Click on the image to enlarge)
